I am a plastic surgeon in Little Rock, AR. I used to "suture for a living", I continue "to live to sew". These days most of my sewing is piecing quilts. I love the patterns and interplay of the fabric color. I would like to explore writing about medical/surgical topics as well as sewing/quilting topics. I will do my best to make sure both are represented accurately as I share with both colleagues and the general public.

Quilts of Valor

Followers

Monday, October 26, 2009

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Most of the focus is on women. There was a wonderful essay from a male breast cancer patient/survivor. Here’s the beginning of the essay. Unfortunately, you need a “subscription” for full access.

I talked with a man recently about my cancer. He had troublefinding words. He didn't know what to say and looked to theground. The "breast" part of it all made him noticeably uncomfortable.

When I first felt pain, and later a lump, below my left nipple,it didn't sink in that I, a man, could actually have breastcancer. Years from now I may very well be able to count myselfas a cancer survivor simply because the tumor in my breast causedpain. (Something very rare, in fact, for both men and women.)The pain, like a pin being driven into my nipple, drove me backto the doctor for a second, then a third time over a four-monthperiod. My unwillingness to accept my physician's assurancesthat no further tests were warranted may have saved my life.As devastating as it was . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Most of the general public thinks of breast cancer as only a woman’s disease. This misconception delays diagnosis for the too many. Men need to be educated that they do in fact have breasts. They can in fact get breast cancer. There will be ~2000 men diagnosed with breast cancer this year in the United States. In the U.S., the ratio of female to male breast cancer is approximately 100:1 in whites, but lower (70:1) in blacks.

The essay brought to my attention the John W. Nick Foundation. Their website has some great information, resources, and personal stories. I hope you will check it out and spread the word.

1 comment:

Anonymous
said...

There's a deep undercurrent of sexism in the article, isn't there? There's a sense that being female identified is a problem, because anything to do with femaleness is our (US) culture is pretty much demeaned, belittled, and subject to misogyny.

Can you imagine a disease primarily being identified with men (say, heart disease, traditionally) being "demeaning" to women to get? Heck, even "girlie" in the article is demeaning; do we even have a similar way of demeaning all male children? We have "boyish," with mostly positive connotations, but no "boyie."

(Though we should recognize that "boy" has long been a way of demeaning Black men in US culture.)

(I'm not saying this is your doing, but it strikes me whenever men complain about being identified with anything female. I think we need to recognize and call out sexism when it jumps up and slaps us in the face.)

Disclaimer

My purpose in writing my blog is to attempt to provide good solid medical information on topics of my choosing. It is a way to educate myself, my colleagues, and the general public. References will be provided on medical posts, but not on opinion essays or poetry posts. An additional purpose is to share my interest in quilting topics, a way to show my human side.

Any medical information provided by this site is not a replacement for medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical advice. It should not be used to treat or diagnose any medical condition. Always seek professional medical consultation by a licensed physician for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions - please, do not ignore your doctor's medical advice based on information written by the author or commenters of this site. Please do not ask me for medical advice, but instead contact a healthcare provider in your area. Anything written about office/hospital situations/events are fictional examples to get a point across. No patient is/will ever be a specific patient (unless given written permission), but a fictional one. To know more about how I handle medical information about patients please link here. Unless, I am praising a colleague, even those will be fictional. Any similarities to you or people you know is purely coincidental. My husband and I, and our dogs are fair game.

In early 2009 I joined the Better Health Network. As part of that Network, I will occasionally be paid for my writing. Those posts will be clearly noted. I will strive to maintain my high ethical standards. If I add any advertising, it will be clearly marked as such.

Comments are moderated by me (Dr. Ramona Bates). The opinions expressed by the commenter is their own. The blog posts and my comments are my own. Please, remember this is a public blog and as such all comments are also public and visible to everyone. If you leave and comment and later wish to delete it, blogger allows you to do so.

Comments are welcome. If it is one not based on your personal experience, please, note a reference to any medical knowledge you are presenting.

Privacy Principles

I do not intend to use this blog to collect or dispense private health information on patients. If any patient is used as an explicit example for a posting, I will get that patient's consent in writing to use their story and/or photo. The office is permitted by federal privacy laws to make uses and disclosures of your health information for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations. However, that is not the intent of this blog. I intend to share information on medical/quilting topics with the general public and my colleagues. This web site does not share or sell any personal information, including your name, address, or email addresses with third parties. Have a blessed day!